The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1887-08-04
on LITTLE ROUND TOR.

Retired List in consequence Of wounds re-
ceived in action, was during the war an off,
Ger in Haziett's Regular battery. When
Hazlett was killed (early in the struggle for
the possession Of Little Round Top at Get
tysburg) Lieut.. Rittenhouse succeeded to
the command of the battery, and remained
in that position until the close of the war,
and winning several breyets for distin-
guished gallantry in action At recent
meeting of the District Of Columbia Com
mandery of the Loyal Legion, he read an
interesting paper on The Battle of Gettys-
burg as seen from Little Round Top, which
has since been printed. After describing the
Little Round Top and the scene being en-
acted in front of it, Maj. RittenhOuse tells Of
the arrival of Gen. Warren, whose quick eye
instantly comprehended its vital importance
to our line Warren detached O'Rorke's
regiment from Weeds Brigade, and sent it to
the Round Top, and not a moment too soon.
vincent's Brigade was also near, and its
commander grasped the situation, and
double-quieked his men on to the sum-
NIT just in time to drive back the rebels,
who were charging up on the other side.
Hazlett rushed his battery up over lodges
and boulders that now seem utterly imPas-
sable by horses or wheels. In few minutes
Weed, 0'Rorke, Vincent and Hazlett were
all killed, but the Little Round Top was
saved. We take the following extracts from
Maj. Rittenhouse's paper:
In less time than it takes to tell II four guns were
on the crest, where a rider would hardly dare go
to-day; n few minutes later Hazlett got the fifth
piece into position over huge rocks, and a little
later got the sixth piece fairly lifted into position
by the cannoneers and the infantry. As each piece
unimbered 1t spoke for ITSELF for the country
the left and front was full Of rebels with their
battlefags flying and coming so rapidly tina. It
seemed almost impossible to stop them. They were
making for Little Round Top, but we were there.
and puff after puff Of smoke few out from those
six Parrot guns our boys for a mile down to the
right, though they could not hear them Ia the
of battle. could that we held the point and that
the Stars and Stripes were there to stay.
When the fourth piece was unlimbered. one Of
the eanneneers placed the sponge bucket near It. AS
No. dipped his sponge in It bullet pierced
1t near the bottom and let out all the water. He
paused. turned 20 the front, grit his teeth, said
damn." but looked as though he thought more.
sent his sponge home with a vim, and as the first
shot was fired said, Take that, damn you'll"
Capt. A. P. Martin. Chief Of Artillery. Fifth
Corps, rode over to Battery ID, 5th Art, now COM
handed by me. about sundOwn. and asked him
whose smoke that was up there on Big Round Top.
He did not know. but afterwatd sent me word that
! 1t was ours. 1t seemed immediately to ehangefrom
an ugly gray TO a beautiful blue.
Chamberlain had got up there, and his men cap
tured number Of the enemy's pickets by calling
TO them, What you doing down thar, come
up byar," when they came up they were quickly
hustled down on side Of the mountain. The enc
my found out that those who answered the call
/ went up" but never came down, and they got q
little farther down their side Of the mountain.
The night Of July was bright moonlight. but 10
seemed to there spirits fitting from Little
Round Top TO Devils Den and back all night
and as I lay awake, the only sounds could hear
were the groans Of the wounded lying between the
| lines. About 10000 tired men were resting and
thinking Of the morrow, which opened beautiful
and bright, with both armies ready to renew the
battle Our side in good position. waiting to re-
eeiye the attack. the enemy eager to make it. A
Sergeant and private OF the battery, who had been
absent without leave for several days. reported for
duty early in the morning of the Sd. Both very
much ashamed Of themselves for not having been
with the battery when it went into action. asked
them what they had TO say. With tears in his eyes
and scarcely able to speak. the Sergeant replied
Nothing. Lefienant, nothing; but for Gods sake
don't put in arrest until after the battle" Their
conduct that day wiped out their offense.
During the forenoon there was occasional firing
| from my battery. When Gen. FarnswoFth made
his gallant cavalry charge on the enemy's right,
assisted him all could, but he almost too far
off for effective firing. Poor fellow. his life wa
sacrificed by his commanding officer ordering him
to charge the enemy's infantry, strongly posted
behind stone walls. In the early part of the after
noon that gallant soldier, Gen. III. j. Hunt, in,
formed me that the enemy were supposed to be
getting ready for charge our center; that they
would open the way for It with their artillery. and
directed not TO return their fire. but to reserve
my ammunition for the charge. Before he had
time TO get away the first shot directed at Little
Round Top and the firing from their 80 guns be
| came general along their line. 1t was during this
eannonade that piece Of shell struck SulIivan's
wheel saddle horse behind the ear and he dropped
dead Sullivan remained astride of him moment
and said: "Ah. that was a dom fine hoss. II II
had been that other devil wouldn't er cared but
this was a dom fine hossl" He then dismounted
proceeded to unhteh aud put another horse in his
place.
We Rugged mother earth during the frat part o.
that cannonsde. until the enemy's columns ap
| peared and thea from Little Rd and Top to Wood.
ruf7s battery on the right, 20 Union guns opened
fire.
These 90 guns fairly made the earth tremble-i
was loud thunderelap, so to speak. As sooI
as the enemy appeared we opened with solid shot
and shell, then shot, then the infantry poured
in yolley after volley, and then the rapid frs
Of the deadly canister to be doubled as they
got within 30 yards of our line. watched Pickett:
men advance aud opened on them with an oblique
fire. and ended with aterrble enflading fire. Lieut.
Peoples pointed the right piece, and Serg't Grady
the fifth piece, both splended shots. When thu
enemy got little more than halfway to our lines
could only these two pieces as the others could
not he out far enougIto point them to the right
but Peoples and Grady tried to make up for the
loss of the fire from the other guns. Many times 9
single percussion shell would cut out several Ies
and then explode in their ranks; several times al
most a company would disappear, q shell would
rip from the right to the left among them. Every
shot pointed by these two men seemed to go where
it was intended. Longstreet, in an article in Tn,
Century for February, 1887 refers number Of time.
to the terrible fire OF the batteries Little RounC
time during his charge but two guns were firing
and those were pointed by two Irishmen-whs
would rather fight than eat Peoples and Grady
On the right OF the battery, and little below il
stood a group Of officers and soldiers, Gen. Warner